Warning: This review contains spoilers
Link to cover of Absolute Batman in a press release from DC Comics.
Without the riches, gadgets and fame, writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta proved that Bruce Wayne can still be Batman.
Snyder and Dragotta released “Absolute Batman #1” on Oct. 9, which serves as an introduction for old and new comic book readers to the world of “Batman.” “Absolute Batman #1” is part of Detective Comics’ (DC) “All-In” initiative that provides a fresh jumping-on point for readers to its main line of comics.
The initiative started earlier this month, featuring original stories from the main universe of comics and brand-new creative teams that allow readers to immerse themselves in the franchise without any prior knowledge. Alongside the current mainline comes the debut of an alternate universe called “The Absolute Universe,” which is a radical reinvention of iconic DC heroes and villains where they are stripped of their notable features.
“Absolute Batman #1” is the first issue of this daring universe launched by Snyder to rejuvenate excitement for the comic book industry. Snyder and Dragotta do just that, depicting a more violent rendition of Bruce Wayne as Batman for the modern-day audience.
Bruce in “Absolute Batman #1” isn’t the iconic 85-year-old character that fans are accustomed to. This version of Bruce is not a billionaire playboy nor the son of Thomas and Martha Wayne; rather, he is a city engineer. In this reimagined universe, his father is a teacher, his mother is a social worker and Bruce is a middle-class hero.
This subversion of the classic Batman archetype allows Snyder and Dragotta to portray Gotham City as more gruesome and in need of a different kind of superhero protection.
In the beginning pages of the comic, Alfred Pennyworth, now a MI-6 agent, rides his motorcycle through Gotham City narrating the dangers of the city, such as homelessness, classism and gun violence.
The first few pages’ multiple panels, alongside Dragotta’s art displaying how terrible the living situation is in Gotham, introduces readers to a city characterized by rising fear among its citizens. It justifies to the readers the reasoning behind a more violent depiction of Batman. Dragotta uses heavy silhouettes and dark shadows to portray the corruption of the city, along with citizens’ vivid eye details and outlandish facial expressions expressing their fear.
Snyder and Dragotta reinvent the character of Bruce Wayne as if he was a middle-class individual, struggling to make his home a safer place for himself, his family and friends. He deals with issues of class warfare, gun violence and terrorism — relevant issues that are affecting contemporary readers.
In “Absolute Batman #1,” Bruce, a city engineer, faces a Rogues Gallery of upper-class villains, particularly Black Mask. This allows Batman to not only fight against supervillains but also metaphorically the wealthy members of society who only look out for themselves. The divide between the middle and upper classes in Gotham is an issue that’s ever-present today, especially as the state of the economy is a top issue for voters in the 2024 presidential election.
A main critique of the Batman character is his privileged background, which makes his heroic acts seem morally corrupt as many villains of his mainstream Rogues Gallery are from lower-class backgrounds; the terrible circumstances his classic villains experience generally prompt them to later become the supervillains of Gotham City. A character like the main universe Batman, a billionaire with endless physical and fiscal resources beating up mentally-ill supervillains instead of getting them help, is prevented from being a true hero.
While I disagree with this critique since many of Batman’s villains actively choose to go down the path of villainy, I understand how a wealthy individual beating up individuals who suffer financially and psychologically can be seen negatively.
However, the comic brilliantly addresses this complaint with the reinvention of Bruce Wayne as a middle-class city engineer that retains his sense of justice, devotion to saving human lives and pride for his city. Snyder and Dragotta show these ideas are transferable because those traits are what makes him Batman. Anyone can be Batman. You can find Bruce Wayne anywhere and under any circumstance, and he will always be Batman.
In a panel on the fourth page, Pennyworth cruises down a street on his motorcycle; one side of the street is filled with homeless people, while the other displays a luxurious car dealership. Dragotta’s work, accompanied by colorist Frank Martin’s artistry, shows the systems of inequality present in the city.
The classic backstory of Bruce watching his parents get gunned down in Crime Alley is made more tragic in “Absolute Batman #1.” Thomas, Bruce’s alternate universe school teacher, is killed in a shooting on a field trip at the Gotham Zoo. Snyder and Dragotta update the classic origin story from 1939 to fit into the modern day, as school shooting statistics have been increasing since 2021.
The readers later see Bruce reminiscing about the shooting as he visits the zoo as an adult. Clayton Cowles’ lettering of the gun’s sound effects in bold red font amplifies the suddenness of the shooting, representing how it can happen anytime and anywhere. Cowles’ artistry communicates the dangers of Gotham City in a way that resonates more with readers than violence against antagonists such as Harley Quinn and the Joker.
Dragotta’s closeup drawings of Bruce’s face that only capture his eyes embody the horror of losing someone. In a flashback, Thomas sacrifices himself as he locks Bruce and his classmates away in the bat enclosure. The last the readers see of Thomas is his hand on the door, closing it to protect his son and students. It is a fear known too well by current teachers.
The lasting image that sticks with the reader is a loud red “BLAM,” which transitions to Bruce reaching for the door to mirror his father. Snyder, Dragotta and Martin breathe new life into the tragedy that makes Bruce become Batman.
Snyder’s Pennyworth provides a unique reading experience as the audience, vicariously through his narration, is reacting in real-time to this new violent, technologically-savvy Batman. The readers, ultimately become a part of the story through Pennyworth’s first-person account of the events that unfold
The villains in this story are Black Mask and his Party Animals who blow buildings up and kill random citizens. Black Mask is depicted in a red tuxedo on a large yacht, feasting on a gourmet meal as his Party Animal gang brutalizes Gotham City. This, once again, represents the upper class thriving at the expense of the lower and middle classes.
In the comic, Bruce — a 6-foot-6, 220 lbs. city engineer — raises the question of how a man of that size and middle-class status can become a superhero — especially since his job and build are initially implied to be disadvantages.
However, Snyder and Dragotta subvert expectations, showing us how this alternate Batman uses his brains to become the superhero that many readers are accustomed to.
This allows the readers to feel a sense of connection to this new Batman, as Bruce, is just like anyone else — a regular person using the resources at his disposal. His college-educated, mechanical engineering background creates solutions for the systematic problems in Gotham. In this new universe, readers can grasp the idea that they, too, can be powerful and deliver justice by playing to their strengths.
The Party Animals then invade a town hall meeting during which Gotham residents express their fear and concern over Mayor Jim Gordon’s inability to stop their crimes. Snyder’s impactful use of character dialogue and Dragotta’s close-up drawings of the residents’ worried expressions amplify the fear engulfing the city.
Batman stops the Party Animals before they can kill anyone at the meeting. He uses his cape as a weapon, with hooks attached at the end of it, to lure opponents in close; the hooks on his cape allow him to become agile and leap over the Party Animals at great heights. This new fighting style mixes Batman’s brutality with a new sense of ingenuity.
The bat symbol on his chest even pops off and can be used as an axe during battle. Dragotta’s drawing of Batman with closeup shots of his figure, alongside Martin’s coloring of blurred lines, creates a fierce sense of energy in his movements that gives his cape and bat symbol a violent yet protective demeanor.
Snyder, Dragotta and Martin beautifully reinvent the Batman mythos in the modern lens with a younger, middle-class version of Bruce who is ready to cast his body aside for the betterment of others. The reckless abandonment of Batman’s safety is beautifully captured in the double-page spread of him jumping off a building onto a motorcycle with the moon shining behind him.
“Absolute Batman #1” is the perfect jumping-on-point for old readers to experience a new Batman tale and new readers to experience Batman for the first time. The “All-In” initiative does its job based on this first issue.
Final Score: 10/10
